A Benton, Missouri, area man has been charged with second-degree murder in the stabbing death of a relative Thursday, Scott County law-enforcement officials said.

Scott County sheriff�s deputies arrested Gary Lee Venable, 33, after responding to a report of an assault.

Deputies arrived at Venable�s home at 6:22 p.m. Inside, they found a bleeding man on the floor. Emergency medical personnel subsequently found the victim deceased when they responded to the scene, according to a probable-cause statement.

The victim was identified as James Patrick Joyce II.

Witnesses placed Venable at the scene of the crime. He was taken into custody at a neighbor�s residence, the Scott County Prosecuting Attorney�s Office said.

While being transported to the Scott County Jail, Venable stated he had acted in self-defense, Scott County Sheriff�s Department detective Robyn Merideth said in the probable-cause statement.

Venable said he stabbed Joyce because �Joyce was sexually assaulting females,� Merideth wrote.

Cindy Joyce, mother of the defendant and the victim, said Venable confessed to stabbing James Joyce after getting into a fight over cigarettes. She said Venable stabbed Joyce with a kitchen knife.

Another witness, Ronald Elebrecht, was inside the home at the time of the altercation. He said James Joyce came into his room holding his neck and stated, �Gary stabbed me,�� Merideth said.

Deputies interviewed an alleged victim of sexual assault, who denied being assaulted by Joyce, according to the statement.

Tommie Caviness, another witness and third cousin of the defendant, said that two days before the stabbing Venable told him that he was �tired of James beating up on him� and that he would kill Joyce if the beatings did not stop.

An autopsy Friday confirmed Joyce suffered a single laceration above his left collar bone, according to the statement.

In addition to second-degree murder, Venable is charged with armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon, the prosecutor�s office said.

Venable was being held Friday in the Scott County Jail on a $200,000 cash or surety bond.

mbliss@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3641